1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a replaceable cartridge for printers and having a user controllable re-inking capability.
2. Brief Description of the Background of the Invention Including Prior Art
The art knows replaceable ribbon cartridges adapted for use with computer printers, typewriters, and other types of printers.
Kanno et al. teach in U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,012 a replaceable ribbon cartridge for printers, where the cartridge has a user controllable re-inking capability. Both an ink transfer roller and a drive roller for contacting the advancing ribbon during printing operations are included in the cartridge. The reference teaches a re-inking roller, where the re-inking roller is laterally movable allowing the user to selectively move the re-inking roller to a neutral position wherein it has no substantial contact with either the ink transfer roller or the drive roller, to a first operative position wherein the re-inking roller is in substantial contact only with the ink transfer roller, or to a second operative position wherein the re-inking roller is in contact with both the ink transfer roller and the drive roller.
Cavallini in U.S. Pat. No. 5,145,268 teaches a cassette containing an inked ribbon. According to Cavallini, at least one pulling roller is partly supported, in a rotatable manner, in at least one slot provided in a wall of a cassette, and is at least partly supported in a rotatable manner in a carriage which is mobile relative to a wall of the cassette. The pulling roller is engaged with elastic means to urge said pulling roller against abutment means on said slot.
Raar in U.S. Pat. No. 4,940,345 teaches an ink cassette and ink transfer roll therefor. The reference provides that during rotary movement an ink transfer takes place from an ink roll to an intermediate roll.
Fausto et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,639 teach a cartridge for an inked ribbon with a re-inking pad. The re-inking pad of the reference is rotatable with its shaft within a casing, while a distribution roller is also rotatable within the casing, but additionally can slide in slots in a plane which is substantially co-planar with said shaft. The inked ribbon engages the distribution roller and, based on the tension imparted to the inked ribbon by other rollers, the inked ribbon causes the distribution roller to slide along said slots and causes the distribution roller to be held in contact with the re-inking pad.
Ohsaki in U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,274 teaches an ink ribbon cartridge. A spring mechanism is taught which urges a pressure roller to move toward a feed roller.
Stipanuk in U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,914 teaches a wear-activated ribbon re-inker. A transfer roller is disposed adjacent to a porous ink roll. The transfer roller rotates on an axle as the ribbon advances by the pull of drive rollers. The axle is furnished with eccentric mounting pins. The axle is kept from rotating by tight frictional engagement of the pins with walls, but the axle may be turned with a screwdriver or other tool for purposes of adjustment. The eccentric nature of the mounting pins causes the main portion of the axle and thus the transfer roller to move closer or further from the porous ink roll. This allows to adjust the spacing between the porous ink roll and the transfer roller.
The use of porous ink rollers is further taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,653,947, U.S. Pat. No. 4,913,571, U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,639, and in Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-7155. In general, a porous, ink filled roller is rotatably mounted in a casing, with the ink filled roller being in contact with a transfer roll, where the transfer roll in turn engages the ribbon. The above recited Japanese Utility Model No. 4-7155 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,215,012 teach that the ink filled roller may be moved laterally by the user to vary the contact pressure between the ink filled roller and the transfer roller, thereby varying the rate of ink transfer.